Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-10-01
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERN
MENT NOT DEMOCRATIC.
The Anglo. Americans Mistakc-Per.
pctuating Plutocracy- Honest
administration Needed,
Not (Oyernment-Thc
Trades Unions.
By DR.. A. DOUAI.

Representative government, which
we now have, and popular SOW
sovereignty, which we have not,
are things which exclude each
other. Where the one prevails the
other takes leave.
Most Anglo Americans believe
that we have both these things at the
same time; yet no mistake could be
greater. They imagine themselves
soverelgns, every mothers son
them; of yet they are governed
instead Of governing themselves
1t is a fact that their rep.
resentatiyes-most Of them men
whom nobody would trust with con-
Quoting lawsuit for them, or with
the guardianship of his orphans
who govern the people. And al
though every American is a reader
of newspapers and liable to be called
upon to serve as juror, very few
know are even are able to learn what
laws are good or bad for them. And
in choosing their representatives and
functionaries they do not consult
their own judgment, but that of a
party machine, which is more or less
self-constituted in the interest of
self-seeking booty-hunters and plu-
tocrats.
Our citizens are either so severely
engaged in money making or in the
toll for their daily bread that they
find no leisure to study their own
and the common interests of the
people, or so averse to meddling with
the dirty business of politics" that
they are glad to find persons who
will kindly step into their places and
attend to the legislation and admin
istration of public concerns. These
representatives regard "trust" as
a road to wealth and power and are
to all intents aud purposes near y as
irresponsible as monarchs. And
their only punishment for misdeeds,
if ever it is meted out to them, is to
be ultimately left at home while
other men of their profession contin-
ue to misgovern the people.
The citizens should therefore not
complain of being cheated by their
representatives; they have to blame
themselves. They ought to under
stand at least that they must depend
upon themselves, make their own
laws and fill their own offices. And
they will be able to do it with great
advantage, if they curtail their work
day to eight Or fewer hours, greatly
simplify their laws, and choose, in
stead of representatives of an ire
sponsible kind, mere advisers to pre-
pare the laws and submit them Tex
cept the routine business) to the rat
ification or rejection of the voters,
even if they fill most offices them
selves. This is what has been for
some time, under the names of "ref-
erendum" and popular "initiative, "
the law and constitution of the Swiss
republics and their confederacy, and
has been most beneficial.
1t may be objected that such an
administration of public business
may do in Swiss republic with no
more than three millions inhabitants,
but hardly in our country of sixty
millions. But while it may be con-
ceded that it makes very difficult
undertaking in our expensive and
popoulous country to introduce some
similar constitution and legislation
here, it is nevertheless evident that
this difficulty would exist in the be-
ginning only, when all laws must be
renewed, reformed or else abolished
that have ce ised to be adapted to
our wants. Ever afterwards the
work would be facilitated.
1t is of course impossible to have
such simple ways of caring for pub